Winding apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and a method for winding a package positioned on a spindle assembly and held against a roller bail with substantially continually decreasing winding pressure as winding progresses and the spindle assembly moves across dead center with gravity first urging the package toward the roller bail and then away from the roller bail. Upon initiating winding, a primary spring functions to urge the package away from the roller bail as the spindle assembly approaches dead center and the weight of the package increases. Later, second and third springs come into play to urge the package against the roller bail. Preferably, the second spring comes into play and counteracts the primary spring well before the spindle assembly reaches dead center and the third spring comes into play when the spindle assembly is proximate dead center.

United States Patent Harrison 5] June 27, 197 2 54] WINDHNG APPARATUS AND METHOD Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath [7 2] lnventor. Robert E. Harrison, West Greenwich, RI. Atmmey A1ben R Davis and Burnett w Norton [73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, RI.

5 7 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Aug. 18, 1970 I 1 Apparatus and a method for winding a package positioned on [21] App!" 64,673 a spindle assembly and held against a roller'bail with substantially continually decreasing winding pressure as winding 52] us. CI ..242/13 R, 242/18 B, 242/18 DD PS S F and the sPindle assembly acwss dead 9 [51] Int. Cl ..B65h 54/52 wlth gravlty first urgmg the Package QY F F f f ball 58 Field of Search ..242/18 R, 18 B, 18 DD, 65 W balla mary spring functions to urge the package away from the [56] References Cited roller bail as the spindle assembly approaches dead center and the weight of the package increases. Later, second and third UNITED STATES TS springs come into play to urge the package against the roller bail. Preferably, the second spring comes into play and coun- 2,753,125 7/1956 Wurmll ..242/18 DD teracts the primary Spring well before h i dl assembly 3,281,086 l0/l966 Goodman et al.. ..242/18 R reaches dead center and the third spring comes into play when i tmgel'fell 5/ 1 the spindle assembly is proximate dead center eague 3,430,875 3/1969 Kieronski ..242/18 DD 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDJUIIZT I972 SHEET 1 [IF 2 I INVENTOR .lilgRRlsow l/ ATTORNEYS FIG. 4

ROBERT E XAMPLE II I2 PACKAGE DIAMETER (D) INCHES EXAMPLE 1 V W98765432 O W ND NG PRESSURE L S FIG.1-

PATEHTEB PEZ? 1272 3.672.583

sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR ROBERT E. I jQRRISON NM W1). M

ATTORNEYS WINDING APPARATUS AND METHOD This invention relates to winding and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for winding a package.

As used herein the term package means a strand wound so that it may be readily moved from place to place, and the term yarn means any strandular material, whether textile or otherwise.

In various industrial yarn take-up machines a spindle assembly is mounted to move toward dead center as a package is wound on the spindle and increases in diameter and weight. a

While the spindle assembly is approaching dead center the package is gravitationally urged against a roller bail and a spring counteracts the gravitational force to urge the package away from the roller bail and to provide a generally continually decreasing. winding pressure between the package and the roller bail. As the spindle assembly moves proximate dead center the weight of the assembly and the increasing weight of the package would cause the package and roller bail contact to be'erratic. To maintain adequate winding pressure between the roller bail and the package, a secondary spring has been provided for urging the package against the roller bail as the spindle assembly approaches dead center. However, attempts to increase the diameter of the package to the extent that considerable movement of the spindle assembly past dead center is required has indicated that the prior expedients were not entirely satisfactory for providing packages of desired quality.

The invention is, in brief, directed to apparatus and a method for winding a package on a spindle assembly which moves across dead center as the diameter of the package increases. The package and a roller bail are held against each other with provision for maintaining a substantially continually decreasing winding pressure therebetween. More particularly, the package is resiliently urged away from the roller bail as the spindle assembly moves toward dead center and is urged toward the roller bail after the spindle assembly has passed dead center.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved winding apparatus and method.

Another object is provision of new and improved apparatus and a method for winding a package.

Still another object is provision of a new and improved winding apparatus and method in which a spindle assembly carries a package and moves across dead center during winding of the package. A related-object is provisionfor maintaining substantially continually decreasing pressure between the package and a member which facially receives the package. Another related object is provision for resiliently maintaining the desired pressure. Still another related object is provision of the resilient force in the form of first, second and third spring, the first spring urging the package away from the receiving member with continually decreasing force as the spindle moves toward dead center, the second and third springs urging the package toward the receiving member only after the spindle assembly moves at least partially toward dead center.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the ac companying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in an intermediate position during winding of a package, with parts broken away and removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but to a reduced scale, showing the apparatus in position for initiating winding;

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing the apparatus in position at termination of winding; and

FIG. 4 is a chart showing the relationship of package diameter to winding pressure.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, a take-up machine has a base 12 including a horizontal plate 14 fixedly secured to a support 16 by bolts 18 with a spindle support 20 and a spring mount 22 integral with and extending upwardly from the plate 14.

A spindle assembly 24 is mounted on the spindle support 20 and includes a spindle frame 26 having at a lower end opposed bearings 28 (only one visible) each joumaled in an adjacent one of opposed pedestals 30 (only one visible) of the spindle support 20 and each held in place by suitable caps 32 releasably secured to the respective pedestal by bolts 34, for pivotal movement of the spindle assembly 24 about a substantially horizontal axis. At an end opposite its pivotal mounting,

- the spindle frame 26 carries a spindle 36 having a chuck 38 for telescopically receiving and clamping a core 40 on which a package 42 of yarn is wound. The spindle chuck 38 is secured to a spindle shaft 44 suitably joumaled on the spindle frame 26 with a pulley 48 receiving a drive belt 50 from a pulley on a drive shaft (not shown), for rotating the spindle 36 in the direction indicated by the arrow 52 in FIG. 1. A conventional doffing handle 54 is part of the spindle frame 26 for operating the spindle chuck 38 during dofl'ing and donning operations.

During winding of the package 42, a cylindrical face 56 of the package is in facial engagement with a roller bail 58 mounted at opposite ends in suitable journals 60 (only one visible) fixedly mounted on a cam housing 62 of a yarn traverse mechanism 64. The cam housing 62 is fixedly secured to the base 12 by a suitable bracket 66 bolted to the cam housing and to the base. The traverse mechanism 64 includes a yarn guide 68 which is traversed to and fro as the yarn 70 (FIG. 1) passes through the guide and to a nip between the package 42 and the roller bail 58.

As the package 42 is being wound on the spindle 36, the package diameter and weight increase and the spindle assembly 24 pivots to the left from the position shown in FIG. 2 through the position shown in FIG. 1 and to a terminal position as shown in FIG. 3. In doing so the spindle assembly 24 moves overcenter from an inclination in which it is gravitationally urged to the right as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to an inclination in which it is gravitationally urged to the left as shown in FIG. 3.

In order to maintain the desired winding pressure between the cylindrical surface 56 of the package 42 and the roller ball 58, the package 42 is resiliently urged away from the roller bail 58 (FIGS. 1 and 2) by a first or primary control assembly 72 including a first or primary tension spring 74 which partially counteracts the gravitational force urging the package 42 against the roller bail 58 as the spindle assembly moves toward dead center. The primary spring 74 has its right end attached to the eye of an eye bolt 76 which is threadedly received in a threaded bore of a shouldered stud 78 having a shank extending through the spring mount 22 of the base and fixedly secured in place by a nut 80. The left end of the spring is pivotally received in a hole in one end of a lost motion connecting link 82 which is pivoted by means of a pin 84 to the lower end of a pressure control arm 86 which is adjustably secured to the lower end of the spindle frame 26 for pivotal movement about the axis of the bearings 28 to adjust the effective movement arm of the control assembly 72. The adjustable connection is not illustrated but may be of any suitable form such as a bolt passing through a quardrant slot in the arm 86 and threaded into the spindle frame 26 to clamp the arm in adjusted position. This adjustment varies the force applied by the primary control assembly 72 to the spindle frame 26 and, more particularly, varies the initial winding pressure and the pressure differential between starting and terminal winding pressure. By adjusting the eye bolt 76 the resilient force exerted by the spring 74 may be adjusted. Thus, as the diameter of the package 42 increases, the spindle assembly 24 is pivoted to the left and the increasing weight of the growing package 42 is carried more and more by the spindle frame bearings 28 and less and less by the roller bail 58, so that the force exerted by the primary spring assembly 72 is continually reduced and as desired the control assembly 72 may be taken out of play and the link 82 and the spring 74 pivot downwardly out of the way (FIG. 3).

The package 42 is resiliently urged against the roller bail 58 by a second control assembly 88 which counteracts the primary control assembly 72 and continues to urge the package 42 against the roller bail 58 as the spindle assembly 24 passes dead center and to the termination of winding, generally as shown in FIG. 3. The second control assembly 88 has a second spring 90 connected at its right end to an adjusting bracket 92 pivoted by a pin 94 to the spring mount 22 and provided with an adjusting screw 96 for adjusting the resilient force applied by this spring. The left end of the second spring 90 is attached to one end of a lost motion link 98 which is pivoted by a pin 100 to a plate 102 fixedly secured to the inner face of the far end of the spindle frame 26, as by bolts 104. In the position shown in FIG. 2, the second control assembly 88 is relaxed and the spring 90 along with its link 98 is pivoted downwardly and out of the way. As the spindle assembly 24 moves to the left the second control assembly 88 comes into play as the slack in the second spring 90 and its link 98 is eliminated whereupon the spring 90 becomes taut (FIG. 2) and proceeds to resiliently urge the package 42 against the roller bail 58.

As the spindle assembly 24 continues to pivot to the left an additional resilient force is applied to urge the package 42 against the roller bail 58, and to this end a third control assembly 106 including a third'tension spring 108 is provided. The third spring 108 has its right end secured to an eye bolt 1 having its threaded shank slidably received in a bore in a guard 112 fixed to the cam housing 62, and nuts 114 on the vide desired package characteristics, as is understood in the field, and as applied, in these examples, to a Model 959 takeup machine, manufactured by Leesona Corporation, Warwick, Rhode Island, and carrying a chuck for a 5 as inches-1.1). X 16 inches-long core having a 6 A; inches-0.0, and a half pound dampening drag applied to the spindle assembly 24 in known manner. The pivot pins 100 and 118 are generally centered between the axes of the bearings 28 and the spindle shaft 44 and the right ends of the spring connections are preferably as shown in FIG. 2. The center of mass of the spindle assembly is slightly to the left of the spindle shaft axis (FIG. 2, for example). A force F, in pounds, tangent to the pivoted position of the center of mass of the spindle assembly 24 and the package 42, and applied to the top of the spindle frame, is required to lift the package 42 from the roller ball 58 at various package diameters D in inches, when the control assemblies 72, 88 and 106 are disconnected. A moment arm of 2 A inches at the start of winding is provided by adjustment of the arm 86 and is measured along a radius from the pivotal mounting of the adjustable arm 86 with the radius normal to the longitudinal axis of the first spring 74. The first spring 74 has a rate of 13 xii lbs/inch, the second spring 90 has a rate of 9 Va lbs/inch, and the third spring 108 has a rate of 16 lbs/inch. These tests were run while winding 2,000 denier multifilament undrawn polypropolene yarn.

Winding pressure. pounds Diameter, Force, Exmnplo Example Examplev Example Example Example (lm. hs. 1 2 -i 5 4 ti 6% 14 6% 8 8% 10% 10V) 11 7 13% 5% 7%; 7% 10 9M 11 8 12% 5 7 7 9% 87;. 10A 9 10% 5 6% 6 9% 8 3 l0 10. 7% 4% 6% 5% 8% 7% 9 11 4% 4 5 5 7% 7 8 12 3% 4% 4% 5% 6% 7 13 4% 2% 31 3% 3% 4% 5% 13 %s -10 2% 2% 2% 2 3 3% 4% First spring 74 drops out at D No 13 13 11% 11 9 Secorkd springlgo y pic sup at 7 2 8V 9 8 9% 82 Third spring 108 8 picks up at; D 11 11% 11, 4 12% 11M 11 threaded shank provide for adjusting the resilient force applied by the third spring 108. The left end of the third spring 108 is attached to an end of a lost motion link 1 16 pivoted by a pin 118 to the mounting plate 102 on the spindle frame 26, and this link 116 is positioned to swing over the near face of the second link 98 upon movement between the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As the spindle assembly 24 moves to the left from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the slack in the third spring 108 and link 116 is taken up whereupon the third spring comes into play and aids the second control assembly 88 in resiliently urging the package 42 against the roller bail 58.

As will be seen from the following table and from the chart in FIG. 4 of selected examples, the winding pressure substantially continually decreases as the diameter of the package 42 increases. Surges in winding pressure are avoided. It is sometimes desirable during the initial stage of winding to maintain a substantially constant pressure, but once the winding pressure reduces it is highly desirable that it substantially continually reduce without appreciable surges in winding pressure although a leveling off, as in Example 1, is tolerable, as is well understood in the field. It should be noted, it general, that the diameter of the package at which the spindle assembly 24 is on dead center is between 12 inches and 13 inches diameter and will vary slightly depending on the density of the yarn 70 being wound onto the package.

The six examples in the following table indicate the relationship of winding pressure to package diameter D for the various adjustments of the control assemblies 72, 88 and 106 to pro- While this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiment or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding a package comprising, means for engaging the periphery of the package during winding thereof, means for holding the package, means mounting the holding means for movement between a first position where the holding means is gravitationally biased toward said engaging means during a first interval of package winding and a second position, where said holding means is gravitationally biased away from said engaging means as said package increases in size, and regulating means for maintaining substantially constant decreasing pressure between the package and the engaging means during movement of the holding means between said positions, said regulating means including first means for urging said holding means away from said engaging means under a decreasing force correlated with increase in size of said package as said holding means moves toward said second position, and second means for urging said holding means toward said engaging means under an increasing force correlated with the increase in size of said package as said holding means moves in said second osition.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein'the holding means includes a frame positioned for rotational movement about a horizontal axis, and a spindle assembly mounted proximate one end of said frame for supporting said package; said first means is connected with said frame at a locus proximate the opposite end of said frame from said one end, and said second means is connected with said frame at a position intermediate said axis and said one end.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding means includes a plurality of biasing elements, said elements being arranged to operate sequentially to provide an increasing force on said holding means as said package moves progressively in said second position.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of biasing elements includes at least first and second extension springs; and means mounting said first spring in position to be extended and thereby exert a biasing force on said holding means for a predetermined interval before said second spring is extended to exert a further biasing force on said holding means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the engaging means is a horizontally oriented roller bail, said holding means includes a frame rotatable about a horizontal axis, and said roller bail is positioned in a plane below said horizontal axis.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding means passes through a dead center position in its movement from said first to said second position, and said second means is operable to exert a biasing force on said holding means toward said engaging means as said holding means passes through said dead center position.

7. A method of winding a package comprising the steps of, engaging the periphery of the package with engaging means to thereby support said package for rotation during winding,

mounting the package in position to be gravitationally biased toward the engaging means during a first interval of package winding and to be gravitationally biased away from the engaging means during a second interval of package winding as the package increases in size, and urging said package away from said engaging means during said first winding interval under a decreasing force correlated with increase in size of the package, and urging said package toward said engaging means under increasing force correlated with increase in size of said package as said package moves in said second interval of winding.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 including the step of passing said package through a dead center position between said first and second winding intervals, and urging said package toward said engaging means under a force correlated with the size of said package as said package passes through said dead center position.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the step of applying a force during the second winding interval includes sequentially applying a plurality of forces.

10. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the step of applying a force during the first winding interval continues at least until the commencement of the step of applying the force during the second winding interval, and the force applied during the second winding interval continues until winding of the package terminates. 

1. Apparatus for winding a package comprising, means for engaging the periphery of the package during winding thereof, means for holding the package, means mounting the holding means for movement between a first position where the holding means is gravitationally biased toward said engaging means during a first interval of package winding and a second position, where said holding means is gravitationally biased away from said engaging means as said package increases in size, and regulating means for maintaining substantially constant decreasing pressure between the package and the engaging means during movement of the holding means between said positions, said regulating means including first means for urging said holding means away from said engaging means under a decreasing force correlated with increase in size of said package as said holding means moves toward said second position, and second means for urging said holding means toward said engaging means Under an increasing force correlated with the increase in size of said package as said holding means moves in said second position.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the holding means includes a frame positioned for rotational movement about a horizontal axis, and a spindle assembly mounted proximate one end of said frame for supporting said package; said first means is connected with said frame at a locus proximate the opposite end of said frame from said one end, and said second means is connected with said frame at a position intermediate said axis and said one end.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding means includes a plurality of biasing elements, said elements being arranged to operate sequentially to provide an increasing force on said holding means as said package moves progressively in said second position.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of biasing elements includes at least first and second extension springs; and means mounting said first spring in position to be extended and thereby exert a biasing force on said holding means for a predetermined interval before said second spring is extended to exert a further biasing force on said holding means.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the engaging means is a horizontally oriented roller bail, said holding means includes a frame rotatable about a horizontal axis, and said roller bail is positioned in a plane below said horizontal axis.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding means passes through a dead center position in its movement from said first to said second position, and said second means is operable to exert a biasing force on said holding means toward said engaging means as said holding means passes through said dead center position.
 7. A method of winding a package comprising the steps of, engaging the periphery of the package with engaging means to thereby support said package for rotation during winding, mounting the package in position to be gravitationally biased toward the engaging means during a first interval of package winding and to be gravitationally biased away from the engaging means during a second interval of package winding as the package increases in size, and urging said package away from said engaging means during said first winding interval under a decreasing force correlated with increase in size of the package, and urging said package toward said engaging means under increasing force correlated with increase in size of said package as said package moves in said second interval of winding.
 8. A method as set forth in claim 7 including the step of passing said package through a dead center position between said first and second winding intervals, and urging said package toward said engaging means under a force correlated with the size of said package as said package passes through said dead center position.
 9. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the step of applying a force during the second winding interval includes sequentially applying a plurality of forces.
 10. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the step of applying a force during the first winding interval continues at least until the commencement of the step of applying the force during the second winding interval, and the force applied during the second winding interval continues until winding of the package terminates. 